Avoiding Confessions
by Blackberry Autumn
Summary: Sasuke has returned after a 5 year absence. Void of emotion, he claims he only wants to become the strongest. They need to draw out the old Sasuke before he turns into the one person he truly hates. Mainly SasuNaru, with minor pairings for fluffy goodness
1. Prelude

**Summary** - Sasuke has returned after a five year absence. Completely void of all emotions, he claims he only wants to become the strongest. Naruto and Sakura, along with the rest of the infamous 'Rookie Nine' need to draw out the old Sasuke and reassert their friendship before he turns into the one person he really hates. Main pairing is SasuNaru, along with many minor pairings for fluffy goodness.

**Rated For** - Swearing, violence, and future citrusy situations.

**Disclaimer** - Believe me, if I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing this.

* * *

**Chapter One - Prelude**

* * *

A blur of dark blue and white sped past thick clumps of trees. A screech from a nearby bird caused the blur to alter its direction with lightning-fast reflexes. Nearby, a pink-haired teenager wearing clothes of the same shade of pink crouched in the bushes. As soon as the blur passed her, she began climbing stealthily up a tree whose blossoms shared her name. A few metres away from them, a conspicuous orange-clothed male with equally noticeable blond hair was holding his breath in the quiet stream, whilst fish swimming past eyed him suspiciously. The sun was setting slowly, lightly dusting meandering clouds in hues of pink, purple and orange.

The blond-haired teen surfaced almost noiselessly, forcing himself to breath slowly and deeply. He shivered as the cooling air came into contact with him. The blur slowed, its form becoming tangible enough to identify it as a black-haired male. A grey-haired man stood in the middle of a clearing, a book poised in his hand as he glanced up momentarily. The other three quickly hid themselves, and although his head turned in the direction of the blond, he went back to reading.

Without warning, three explosions around him caused him to abandon the book, his head snapping around as a loud yell was heard behind him. He quickly dodged a black four-sided shuriken, but failed to notice another one thrown from the opposite direction. A loud 'poof' was heard, and a log clattered to the ground where his body had once been.

"Itai..." the orange-clad Naruto whined. He rubbed the back of his head, where the older man had rapped him sharply.

"It's no wonder he saw you, Naruto." Sakura scolded, her hands on her hips. "With that outfit."

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's bright orange." Sasuke muttered from where he was leaning against a tree.

"So what?! Sakura's wearing pink! When was the last time you saw a pink tree?"

"When was the last time you saw bright orange water? And don't tell me about the time you threw up ramen. That's not **bright** orange." Sakura shuddered. She shot a glance over at Sasuke, hoping the two would not fight again.

Sasuke sighed.

"What's your problem?!"

"Shut up."

"Don't tell me to shut up, you bastard!"

"Don't yell at him, Naruto!" Sakura snapped, more anxious than angry.

The three of them were interrupted by someone clearing their throat loudly.

"You three...have you forgotten about me already?"

"Ah, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura began hurriedly.

"Never mind." Kakashi cut her off. "It's getting late, anyway."

He gestured towards the sky, the moon already rising. It was starkly contrasted against the dark blue blanket the sky had become. "Make sure you're all here the same time tomorrow. We'll pick up where we left off." With that, Kakashi disappeared.

As if waiting for his moment, Naruto started grumbling about the exercises. "I don't see why we have to keep training this hard."

"Of course you don't." Sasuke muttered, walking away.

"What'd you say?!"

"Naruto, do you think Kakashi-sensei became a Jounin by sitting on his arse all day and eating ramen?"

Naruto sighed, crossing his arms. "That's not what I'm saying. I just mean that for once it'd be nice if we got some acknowledgement that we're at this level now. Even you, Sakura."

Inner Sakura bristled angrily.

Sakura sighed. Over the many years Team Seven had been together, she had become progressively more tolerant of her loud-mouthed teammate. Finding out about the nine-tailed fox had certainly helped her understanding, although from time to time she still found him to be the most irritating person on the planet.

Still...

Sakura walked alongside Naruto as he continued to chat aimlessly. Her thoughts were on Sasuke, and the three years he had been absent. After another few years of chasing after him and trying to appeal to him, he had finally agreed to join them again. Sai, his former replacement, had respectfully bowed out as an official member of Team Seven, although he and Team Eight (1) were frequently sent on missions with them, with occasional help from Team Ten (2) and Team Guy (3).

Ever since he had gotten back, Sasuke had been the same cold, indifferent person he had when they had first started out. This frustrated both herself and Naruto since this meant that not only did they have no knowledge of what had happened to him, but also the friendship ties they had built up over the time spent together beforehand were completely severed.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, are you alright?"

"Huh?" Sakura turned to find Naruto had stopped walking and was giving her a worried look.

"Oh, sorry. I was just...thinking..."

"About him."

"Uh, well-"

"It wasn't a question." Naruto interjected. "Don't worry. He's only been back with us for a month. It took us much longer to get him to respond to us. Can't be long now...I mean, we've done it before, right...?"

Sakura watched him walk off without waiting for an answer, his hands in the pockets of his bright orange jacket and the loose ends of his headband blowing slightly in the wind. She shivered, the chilly winter air finding its way into her open jacket. She zipped it up, pausing when Naruto stopped walking again.

"Sakura..." he said, without turning.

"Yeah?"

"...He...he **will **want to be friends with us again, right?"

Sakura said nothing, unsure of what to say and questioning the truthfulness of the answer they both wanted to hear.

"Forget I asked." He murmured. He rounded a corner and disappeared from Sakura's view. Despite the rapidly dimming light, Sakura stood still for a moment, deep in thought, eventually making her way home when a stronger breeze made her wince from the cold.

* * *

(1) Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuga and Kiba Inuzuka.  
(2) Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka and Choji Akimichi.  
(3) Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee and Tenten. 


	2. Pensieroso

**Summary** - Sasuke has returned after a five year absence. Completely void of all emotions, he claims he only wants to become the strongest. Naruto and Sakura, along with the rest of the infamous 'Rookie Nine' need to draw out the old Sasuke and reassert their friendship before he turns into the one person he really hates. Main pairing is SasuNaru, along with many minor pairings for fluffy goodness. 

**Rated For** - Swearing, violence, and future citrusy situations.

**Disclaimer** - Believe me, if I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing this.

* * *

**Chapter Two - Pensieroso**

* * *

-------**Naruto**.-------

Stupid bastard...

I shook my head as I stepped into my apartment. Tugging off my gloves and jacket, I shut the door behind me and locked it firmly. I could never be too careful. Although some of the villagers had become more accepting, the rest took my Chuunin status as another reason to hate me, perhaps even more so than before.

I smiled bitterly.

Hate was a word I was very familiar with. Unfortunately, hate was a word used in conjunction with my name.

I sat down at my table, absentmindedly running my hand along the surface. I glanced around the room. It was rather messy, but I wasn't in the mood to do anything about it. I had moved in only a year ago, and hadn't found the time or effort to finish unpacking everything. Not that I had much stuff to begin with.

I winced, stretching my legs. It had taken me an extra hour to get home, because a skulking scout nearby had alerted his gang to my presence. It happened so often now I simply couldn't be bothered fighting, so I'd hidden myself after they thought they'd cornered me in an alley. Besides, fighting would result in my notoriety being kicked up a notch, and not fighting would result in my dignity being dragged down. Ah, yes. The villagers truly hated me.

_And for what? Becoming a fucking sacrifice, without my permission? Being forced to live by myself, without parents, without any family at all? Or how about being refused help and services from almost every store in this town? _

_For being born at all...?_

_For striving to be someone...accepted?_

I sighed, the noise startling me out of my reverie. It had been dark for quite a while now. I glanced over at the fridge, knowing very well there would be almost nothing in it. Before, I used to ask Iruka to buy me groceries. But after a while, I got so sick of relying on him that I stopped. He never confronted me about it, and I think he understood that I needed to try to support myself.

_Fat lot of help this town was..._

I rubbed my eyes, which were watering with bitter tears. I had learnt to wait until I was alone before crying. No one had ever seen me cry for a truly serious reason, since I only cried when I felt the need to overdramatise the situation. I wasn't about to let anyone see, either.

Getting up, I shed my clothes, leaving them haphazardly scattered on the ground. I stepped into the shower, not bothering to mind the time, although a quick glance at the clock told me it was already nine. On a whim I filled up the bath, leaning back and letting myself drift off into thought.

Briefly I wondered whether Sasuke was as okay as he claimed to be every time I confronted him about it. I suppose, however, when you disappear for several years, you tend to not want anyone to talk to you ever again.

_So then why'd he come back?_ I scratched at my cheek thoughtfully. Eventually, though, I fell asleep.

* * *

Sorry it's so short. They get longer as you go, I promise. 


	3. Legato

**Summary** - Sasuke has returned after a five year absence. Completely void of all emotions, he claims he only wants to become the strongest. Naruto and Sakura, along with the rest of the infamous 'Rookie Nine' need to draw out the old Sasuke and reassert their friendship before he turns into the one person he really hates. Main pairing is SasuNaru, along with many minor pairings for fluffy goodness.

**Rated For** - Swearing, violence, and future citrusy situations.

**Disclaimer** - Believe me, if I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing this.

* * *

**Chapter Three - Legato**

* * *

-------**Sakura. A couple of hours ago**.-------

_Poor Naruto..._

I walked home briskly, shifting uncomfortably every time the wind blew. My arms and legs were sore from the day's training, and the cold air wasn't helping with the pain. I hadn't thought today's training would take as long as it had.

Shivering, I watched as, across the street, a young boy and girl play-fought. I smiled at their mothers, but all they did was whisper behind their hands.

I could imagine what they were saying about me.

"_Look, there she is. The one that associates with that vile child, Naruto."_

"_I heard that Uchiha Sasuke returned, and rejoined her team."_

"_Uchiha! He's worse than the demon boy!"_

It was hard not to bitterly wish that, for once, I could have normal teammates. Then again, no one did. Who was normal, out of the people I had grown up around, fought, watched, talked with?

None of us were. Which saddened me, because out of all of us, Naruto had the least reason to be hated. And he never acted like the mean-spirited jerk he could have chosen to become. He was determined, and could act quite unselfishly for all the right reasons.

And yet, because of his sacrifice, people couldn't stand him. Feared him, despised him. For something meant to serve as an act of bravery, heroism.

_Stupid morons..._

I sighed as I arrived home to find the place empty. I don't know why I always expect otherwise, since I moved out of my parents' house. All I have waiting for me at home is silence.

_And what do you expect, Sakura? Someone waiting on the couch to welcome you back?_

Don't get me wrong, I was definitely at a point in my life where I wanted some sort of meaningful human relationship. Now that I was finally over Sasuke, I was looking for the real thing. And really, I was already nineteen, I could have died countless times by now.

I shook my head. It was selfish to think of only myself.

_And...I really wish Sasuke would try to trust us. And Naruto's been acting really weird lately..._

I thought back to earlier this week, when, instead of taking Kakashi's offer on a free meal, he shot a look over at a retreating Sasuke's back and took off in the other direction. And then there was time I caught him staring off into space while three scantily-clad, freshly-made Chuunin from Suna attempted to seduce him after the Chuunin exams he had insisted he watch.

Go figure.

I knew the two of them had been alright before Sasuke left. They had started training together, talking more, throwing insults meant to humour, not anger. Naruto had started becoming less immature, smiling for real more often. Sasuke had started to hold conversation, and once or twice, he had smiled himself.

When he left, Naruto withdrew again, into his loud-mouthed, 'look-at-me' shell. He had explained to me about the demon fox after a series of incidents that still haunt me. I'd pushed them to the back of my mind until, with a serious face, he'd asked to talk to me.

* * *

-------**Flashback.**-------

"_Sakura-chan...Can I talk to you?" _

_Sakura looked up warily. "If this is about-" she hesitated, searching Naruto's face for any hint of mischief. Finding only sadness and a seriousness she hadn't seen in a long time, she nodded._

"_Excuse me, Hinata, Ino." _

_She followed Naruto until they came to a park. Sitting down on a bench, he motioned for Sakura to join him._

"_I wanted to...apologise again for what happened the other day."_

"_No, it's fine. Who doesn't like being attacked by a creepy monster." Sakura replied sarcastically. Naruto had tried to rip her throat out, a red aura blinding her. She hadn't seen the fox-like characteristics, and blamed it on Naruto's stupidity and overzealousness._

_Naruto winced. "Sakura..."_

_Something in his voice made her look at him. She blinked. "What?" She asked, this time not irritated._

"_Have you ever noticed...that the villagers don't really treat me very well?"_

_Sakura thought about it for a moment. "Come to think of it, yes. I always figured it was because you were always pulling stupid pranks and prancing around like an idiot."_

"_I only do that so people will notice me..."_

_Sakura frowned slightly. She had always thought that not having parents was the reason Naruto was so lax and loud. Suddenly she realised how many times her parents had been there for her, and she reached out hesitantly to put a hand on his shoulder._

'He's shaking..._'_

"_...Naruto-kun?"_

_Naruto looked up, but didn't smile. This confirmed her suspicions. "It...it was hard, without parents, wasn't it? Is...is that why you tried so hard to get people's attention?"_

_He nodded, and she continued. "So...what did you want to talk to me about...?"_

"_Do you remember the reason the Fourth Hokage died?"_

_Sakura blinked. "Of course." It was a tale told to young children over and over, as a tribute to his bravery. "He sealed away the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon that was terrorising Konoha. They never said how, though." She added thoughtfully._

"_Me."_

"_What?"_

"_They sealed the demon into me. A few hours after I was born."_

_Sakura started laughing, eyes closed with mirth, but paused when something wet splashed onto her hand. She opened her eyes, startled._

"_...You're not joking..."_

-------**End Flashback.**-------

* * *

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. He had gone on to explain **everything** about 'Kyubi'. It wasn't even scary, although I was extremely shocked at first. It made so much sense, and I knew the real Naruto meant no one harm. 

_Why is it then, that people shun him...?_


	4. Addolorato

**Summary** - Sasuke has returned after a five year absence. Completely void of all emotions, he claims he only wants to become the strongest. Naruto and Sakura, along with the rest of the infamous 'Rookie Nine' need to draw out the old Sasuke and reassert their friendship before he turns into the one person he really hates. Main pairing is SasuNaru, along with many minor pairings for fluffy goodness.

**Rated For** - Swearing, violence, and future citrusy situations.

**Disclaimer** - Believe me, if I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing this.

* * *

**Chapter Four - Addolorato**

* * *

-------**Naruto**-------

"Ouch!" I straightened up, staring at the back of my hand.

A long, ragged scar stared back at me. I chuckled, the dry noise reverberating around the walls.

"_**I swear, by the pain on my left hand...I will never need to be rescued again!"**_

I traced the scar lightly. Many other scars sporadically adorned my body, but few were as significant as this one. And none were ever redone like it, either.

For every failed mission, failed day, failed attempt at life, I would go over it with the tip of the very same kunai knife I had used to open it before. No one knew about it, of course, and it was on rare occasion that I would actually stop to stare at the damn thing. But right now, it was throbbing, and I knew exactly why.

_Kyubi..._

I sighed, waiting for the throbbing to die down. It was a dull pain, barely noticeable, but it was interrupting my relaxation time. I took a startled look at the clock.

_Ten thirty?_

It was only when I moved to get out that I really noticed how cold the water was. A sharper pain spurred me into action, and I hurriedly got dressed.

_Alright, alright. I'm coming!_

I sat down on my unmade futon, settling back so that I was comfortable. Closing my eyes, I forced myself to focus on my breathing, regulating my heartbeat and falling into the darkest recesses of my mind.

I landed with a soft splash as I walked through the familiar pipes in the back of my consciousness. Huge iron bars came into view, and behind them were the piercing red eyes of the nine-tailed fox demon sealed within my body.

_God, you're impatient._

A snarl met my ears, and I instinctively clamped my hands over them.

_Okay, okay! Geez, don't get your panties in a bunch._

_**Are you an idiot, brat? I'm a fox demon, not a hysterical female teacher.**_

I bit back whatever sarcastic reply I had reserved for such people. Kyubi, as I had so dubbed him, was not one to tolerate my cheek for long. And trust me, when you have an angry fox demon screaming at you when you're trying to sleep, it's a good idea to learn from your mistakes. Especially when you've spent most of your life used to a dormant fox you had absolutely no knowledge of to begin with.

_So, what do you want, all of a sudden?_

_**Don't demand answers from me! **_

I winced. Ever since I had stumbled upon Kyubi, I had tried coming back to talk to him. It took a **very** long time to have a conversation that did **not** involve my mental incapacitation, but eventually he admitted, albeit grudgingly, a speck of respect for me did in fact exist, and lately talking to him had become a much better way to spend my nights than sitting home alone feeling sorry for myself.

He snorted, his tails swishing agitatedly. _**Where are we?**_

_Home, you idiot._

_**Brat, watch your tongue. Why are we not doing chakra training?**_

_Kakashi sent us home early._

_**He is too easy on you. You are a weakling, all talk and no talent whatsoever.**_

_Hey, I've managed to get you to lend me your chakra on a number of occasions!_

_**Because you would die otherwise. Do you think I want to die also? Without me, what would you do? Tell me now.**_

I kept quiet, and a low rumbling indicated Kyubi's amusement. I glared at him, and was rewarded with a large paw attempting to slash me through the bars.

_Hey!_

_**I could have killed you by breathing on you, were I roaming the earth free.**_

_Your breath's not that bad._

_**Brat, do not make me angry.**_ He paused. **_Your subconscious thoughts..._**

_What about them? I don't know anything about them._

_**I do. They float around me. I hear them.**_

I flushed suddenly. _And...and what have I been thinking about? Is that what you wanted to talk about?_

_**Yes. You should learn to keep a tighter hold on what flows through your mind. Some of your thoughts have proved to be...very interesting. But it is unwanted information.**_

_What are you talking about, Kyubi?_

He tilted his head. _**If you do not know now, you are not meant to. **_

I sighed. I knew better than to argue this time. _Fine__But I don't feel like going anywhere right now..._

_**Am I supposed to entertain you? I am a demon, brat, not your babysitter!**_

_...Can I ask you something?_

_**...Will you go after you have your answer? It is bad enough that I must suffer in your mind, but it is worse when you pester me with your annoying chatter.**_

_You love it._

He snarled, louder than before, and I rushed onwards.

_I...I've never asked you this before...But only because I thought you would kill me if I brought it up._

_**We have established that while I may **wish** to kill you, I cannot.**_

_I know that now. And I'm sure you like me a little._

_**Simply because I respect you does not mean I have to like you at all.**_

_Alright then. But...Kyubi...?_

_**Hn.**_

_Why...did you kill all those people? Why did you cause so much destruction when you were...free?_

_**It was fun.**_

A brief flash of his memories lanced through my mind and I screamed involuntarily. Resisting the urge to vomit, I almost threw myself out of my mind, but forced myself to stay.

_That...that's not fun! That's brutal, mindless murdering._

_**Naruto.**_

I blinked. He rarely used my name.

_**I am not you. You are not me. It is not in your nature to kill. Just as it is not in my nature to save. It is my instinct to cause chaos, to feed on people's fear. And people, I suppose.**_

He grinned, his razor-sharp teeth blindingly white. I shuddered, sensing an awakened bloodlust in him. It dissipated, and he observed me quietly.

_**Never let anyone compare you to me when it comes to our natures. We could not be any more different. **_

_...How did you...?_

_**...Are you an idiot, brat?**_

_No. And I really wish you would stop calling me that. I'm twenty, you know. Not two._

I left before he could respond, falling back into my body. I winced, my muscles sore from sitting still for so long. An amused chuckle filled my ears, and then faded into a silence which weighed heavily upon me. Rolling onto my side, I fell asleep instantly. The last thing I saw was the bright orange numbers on the clock change to 2:00 A.M, Kyubi's eyes staring hauntingly out from the light.

* * *

Oh dear. I think I'm going to run out of musical terms for chapter titles...I suppose I'll work something out. 

Anyway. Read and review, if you find the time...It's not that hard.


	5. Grave

**Summary** - Sasuke has returned after a five year absence. Completely void of all emotions, he claims he only wants to become the strongest. Naruto and Sakura, along with the rest of the infamous 'Rookie Nine' need to draw out the old Sasuke and reassert their friendship before he turns into the one person he really hates. Main pairing is SasuNaru, along with many minor pairings for fluffy goodness.

**Rated For** - Swearing, violence, and future citrusy situations.

**Disclaimer** - Believe me, if I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing this.

* * *

**Chapter Five - Grave**

* * *

-------**Sasuke. Yesterday, after training**.-------

Shit, it was cold. Leave it to Kakashi to make us stay out longer than necessary. I don't think I could have lasted another minute with those two. Every mission we were sent on, every training session we had, my day's options were limited to a choice of three things:

One. Interact with the perverted moron that is our teacher and group leader, Kakashi.

Two. Interact with the less -subtely-perverted moron with the voice and attitude of a parrot, Naruto.

Three. Interact with the anxious, rather useless moron with little battle skills, Sakura.

Wonderful, isn't it?

_I suppose it could be worse. I could still be with them right now._

I sighed to myself, stuffing my hands in my pockets grimly. My shoe was becoming loose, and I stopped to fix it. As I turned to take a shortcut, the voices of my aforementioned teammates caught my attention. Pausing, I kept in the shadows, curiosity getting the better of me. I'd always wondered what those two actually had to talk about other than the shallow, frivolous nonsense and loud arrogance they usually spouted.

"He...he **will** want to be friends with us again, right?"

_Huh. Friends. _I shook my head.

I waited expectantly, assuming she would say 'yes' in a fangirl-esque manner and reprimand him. But the answer never came. I watched them both walk off, then shrugged and kept walking. It wasn't my concern what they thought of me, nor did I care what they wanted from me. I wasn't stupid; I'd known they were on-edge with me around.

But they'd go crazy if they knew where I'd been and what I'd done in the three years I was gone...

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I woke up the next morning feeling, if possible, even more tired and annoyed than I had when I'd gone to bed. A quick glance out the window told me the sun wasn't even up yet, which led me to question why I was awake in the first place.

_Stupid window's open..._

I hated the cold. In the huge, empty house that I was forced to live in, it made everything seem worse somehow. Memories of my family were locked firmly into the house, and everywhere I went it seemed like something reminded me of them. The cold made it even more depressing for me.

* * *

-------**Flashback**-------

"_A-aniki...What are you-"_

"_Ah, there you are. Where have you been, little brother?"_

"_I was playing with-"_

"_Your friends? Hmph. Friends are useless, you don't need them. All you need is strength, power, independence."_

"_W-where are...where's mother?"_

_Itachi smirked, moving closer to the young Sasuke._

"_Where's father?" Sasuke's voice had dropped to a whisper now._

_Itachi passed by a window, and was suddenly cast in sharp relief by the moonlight. Shadows flickered behind him as he shifted, and Sasuke's eyes dropped downwards._

"_Are you bleeding, aniki? Is...is something wrong?"_

"_Father and mother needn't have died uselessly, little brother." Itachi spat. Sasuke winced, taking a step backwards._

"_What did you do...?"_

_A grin spread across Itachi's face, the shadows making him look insane. "Why, dear brother, I did what I had to, to become strong, like father wanted."_

"_...Where-"_

"_But I can't risk having you in the way. You..."_

_Sasuke tripped over something behind him, landing forcefully on his wrists. He scrambled backwards until he hit something solid. A brief glance let him know the door was a few feet to his left._

"_You will suffer tonight!" Itachi's eyes glowed red, the pupils becoming three. _

"_What's wrong with your Sharingan..." Sasuke whispered, horrified. He thought back to earlier that year, when he had heard his father shouting about Itachi's 'shameful mistake' and a 'Mangekyo Sharingan'. After that, his father had spent a lot more time with him, but rather than train him to become like Itachi..._

"_He didn't want you to become me. But one day, you will wonder how to get this power, little brother. It's easy, you know. Just kill your closest friend."_

"_You...you killed Shisui?"_

_Itachi's smirk doubled, and Sasuke could see quite clearly the cracks that danced across the whites of his older brother's eyes._

_Suddenly, he screamed, over and over again, as flashes of his dead parent's bodies forced their way into his eyes. They stopped instantly, Itachi observing him quietly. He started sobbing, earning a look of disgust from the genius Uchiha._

_Sasuke's shrieks pierced the air as the young boy was forced to watch, through Itachi's eyes, the slaughter of his parents. He felt Itachi's raw emotion, throwing up every time he relived the sick, victorious glee of a murderer. _

"_Aniki...why are you doing this?" Sasuke sobbed as Itachi forcefully picked him up and held him in the air as he struggled feebly._

"_Pathetic..." Itachi murmured. "You are not worth my time." Letting Sasuke drop the the ground, Itachi watched stoically as Sasuke landed awkwardly on his ankle, crying out in a rapidly fading voice. Turning, Itachi walked away, leaving his younger brother in a puddle of blood and vomit._

"_Aniki...Aniki!" Sasuke called after him. He was confused, and in a great deal of pain. He fell to the ground after taking one step, and lay there, crying quietly. Itachi paused._

_Without looking back, he scoffed. "Foolish little brother...you can't kill me. Your hate's not strong enough. You're not strong enough. If you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive. Run, and cling to life. Live in shame, run away and live." (1)_

"Aniki..."

-------**End Flashback**.-------

* * *

Those words rang in my ears. It was the most Itachi had ever said to me. I curled up, willing myself to go to sleep. My body gave into a fitful sleep, plagued with nightmares and cold, cruel laughter.

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I woke up again as sunlight filtered through the thin curtain. I blinked, my vision slightly blurred. I managed to get out of bed and eat, although a small wave of nausea was still tugging at my stomach. I pulled on a dark blue jacket, and headed towards the training grounds.

When I arrived, I was unsurprised to find that Kakashi was nowhere to be seen. A pink-head came into view, and I turned away when Sakura waved to me.

_Just my luck. That idiot will probably be with her, and I'll have to put up with them for the next five hours until Kakashi gets here._

What kind of moron takes five hours to get ready and get to the training grounds anyway? They were right next to the village – even if you lived on the opposite edge of the town it would only take two hours to get here, and that's if you walked slowly.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura greeted me cheerfully. I didn't even bother grunting in reply, I just stared off into the distance.

_Where is that loud-mouthed, dead last good-for-nothing?_

I shook my head, ignoring Sakura's look. I didn't actually care where he was. I just expected him to be trailing behind Sakura, as usual.

_Maybe I haven't been paying much attention this past month..._

Come to think of it, I had noticed less tension between the two of them. I wasn't too sure, since the only reason I had come back was because I wanted to become even stronger. Except all Kakashi was doing now was putting us through trivial, Genin-ranked training exercises. What was the point of me being here? It was like I'd gone back in time to the very beginning, to be reduced to bell capture and hide-and-seek games, like a child.

"Sasuke-kun...?"

I shot her a glare. Instead of persisting, she fell silent and looked away. I saw sadness in her eyes.

Big deal.

"Ah, Kakashi-sensei!" She called out suddenly, walking towards him. I glanced at my watch. _He's only half an hour late?_

"Ah, sorry, you two. Oh. Where is Naruto?"

"I...don't know," Sakura replied, "He's not usually late..." she trailed off.

"Sasuke."

"Hn."

"Go get him."

"Me? What for?" I snapped. I had better things to do.

"If he slept in for that reason..." Kakashi murmured. "Well, think of it as a C-ranked mission, to get him out of bed and back here in an hour."

I glared at him. C-ranked? How pathetic did Kakashi think I was? And for _what_ reason? (2) Sakura looked even more worried than before. It seemed all she could do these days was look worried.

I knew Kakashi would do nothing all day if I didn't agree, so with a glare I started walking away. I stopped, and Kakashi frowned at me.

"What?"

"...I don't know where he lives."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of all the pointless, time-wasting things to do...Finding Naruto's house wasn't easy, since Kakashi was quite vague with directions. Eventually, I came to a small alleyway, with only a few entrances leading off it. I looked up, searching for the number eighteen. It was at the very end, and looked rather run-down. Still, it had to be better than Naruto's old apartment. This one had a door.

I knocked on the door, tapping my foot impatiently. After five minutes, I knocked again. Getting no response, I banged on the door, eventually kicking it and sitting down on the doorstep. Inside, I could hear someone muttering something, so I knocked yet again.

_Screw this_. I got up and tried the handle.

The stupid door was unlocked.

* * *

(1) I realise this is sort of like a mix between the Japanese version and literal translation. Itachi's speech, that is. Live with it.  
(2) Sasuke doesn't know about Kyubi yet. 


	6. Allegro

**Summary** - Sasuke has returned after a five year absence. Completely void of all emotions, he claims he only wants to become the strongest. Naruto and Sakura, along with the rest of the infamous 'Rookie Nine' need to draw out the old Sasuke and reassert their friendship before he turns into the one person he really hates. Main pairing is SasuNaru, along with many minor pairings for fluffy goodness.

**Rated For** - Swearing, violence, and future citrusy situations.

**Disclaimer** - Believe me, if I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing this.

* * *

**Chapter Six - Allegro**

* * *

-------**Naruto**.-------

Thud.

Thud, thud, thud.

Thud, thud, crash.

"Five more minutes," I mumbled, "and then you can beat me up. Just don't steal the ramen..."

Thud.

I wriggled, burrowing deeper into the blankets. I vaguely registered the door handle turning before I sat up. Most people who came here broke down the door. They didn't walk in calmly. Rolling over, I noticed a figure blocking out the sunlight.

"Ah, thank you." I murmured. I drifted off, almost falling asleep again, before whoever the hell it was nudged me with a foot.

"Whaaaat?" I whined, still not awake.

"Oi, idiot. Get out of bed already." The figure snapped. My eyes popped open, and I rolled away, getting tangled in the sheets.

"Wha-Sasuke! What the fuck are you doing here?!" I screeched, rolling around. I struggled to get out of the blankets, and flopped down when my efforts proved to be futile. I glared at him from my warm cocoon. "Don't just stand there!"

He sighed. "This is so pointless..." Reaching down, he pulled a corner of my blanket, tugging violently. Without warning, I found myself sprawled on my floor, a few feet away from where I had last been lying.

I swore under my breath. "What was that for?!"

"For wasting my time. Get up and get ready." He snapped.

At last! Some emotion!

A smile tugged at my lips. He saw it and glared. "What?"

"Haha, Sasuke-teme! You're angry."

I could tell this made absolutely no sense to him. Ever since he'd rejoined Team Seven, Sasuke had displayed no emotions whatsoever. There was a tiny hint of annoyance every now and then, but this was the most he'd said in a long time, with the most feeling behind it. Of course, it just **had** to be anger...

I repeated my thoughts to him, and he shut off again, his eyes resuming their bored, blank expression.

I continued grinning stupidly, even if I didn't mean it. I had to pretend I was okay with it. I had to pretend that the small change was the most exciting thing in the world. I had to try.

Maybe this way I could get the old Sasuke back.

* * *

-------**Flashback**.-------

"_Sasuke-teme!" Naruto shouted. A smirking Sasuke landed a few feet away, completely unfazed._

"_Feh. Useless. I would have thought you had improved." He said, not bothering to turn around._

_Naruto scowled. "Why do you have to be such a bastard, you bastard?!"_

_He heard a snort, and watched in disbelief as Sasuke walked away. "If you can't even put up a good fight, I'm wasting my time here."_

_Naruto growled, raising a fist. Sasuke stopped, having heard the rustle of his clothes. "Well, what are you waiting for?"_

_Naruto lowered his hand, and Sasuke finally turned around. Naruto flashed him a trademark grin, although the smile never reached his eyes. With a loud pop, a pile of rocks fell to the ground with a loud rumble, and Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction as Naruto appeared behind him, a kunai knife at his throat._

"_Ready or not..." He grinned, and barely had time to dodge as Sasuke's leg swung up behind to kick him. _

_Naruto suddenly found himself backed up against a tree. "Aw, man..." he said huffily. Sasuke's eyes blazed red, and Naruto quickly used a Substitution justu to prevent himself from being tied to the tree by Sasuke's Sōfūshasan no Tachi (1)._

"_Using the same old trick...?"_

_Naruto grinned. "I'm just getting started!"_

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Several hours later, both boys were on their backs, the forest around them in varying states of ruin. They were both panting heavily, and had a number of wounds, several which were relatively serious. Sasuke turned his head to look at Naruto, lying a few feet away from him. The blond-haired boy was looking up at the sky, a distant, genuine smile on his face._

"_You've improved." Sasuke commented after a moment of silence. _

_Naruto only managed an incoherant grunt as he turned to look at Sasuke as well. The older boy smirked at him, and he smirked wearily back._

"_So. You've defeated Neji and Gaara."_

"_And you!"_

"_Idiot. You're just as incapacitated as I am."_

_Naruto glared. "Well, what if I was just pretending? So that I could let you feel safe and then kill you?"_

_Sasuke observed him silently, and Naruto squirmed under his gaze. "Are you?" Sasuke asked eventually. _

_Naruto paused. Sasuke hadn't been able to see it in the dark, but most of his cuts had healed, and even the few serious injuries he had received were starting to improve. 'He doesn't know about the demon fox...'_

_Naruto stood shakily, and Sasuke struggled to sit up. He looked up at Naruto, who was holding out a hand. Sasuke stared at him. "Incredible stamina." He commented quietly._

"_Come on, Sasuke-teme. You promised if I could beat you, you'd treat me to dinner."_

_Sasuke opened his mouth to point out that technically, neither of them had won, but stopped. Naruto was grinning, his eyes brightening, which made Sasuke smile back, although Naruto almost missed it. Allowing himself to be helped up, Sasuke closed his eyes as the world spun for a moment, and then muttered, just loud enough for Naruto to hear, "If you let me fall, I'm going to kick your legs out from under you."_

"_Haha, friends don't let friends fall!"_

"_...Friends?"_

_Naruto stopped, his head turning towards Sasuke. "...Oh. Never mind." He tried to take a step forwards, but Sasuke held him back. "What?" Naruto frowned._

"_Friends who let friends fall deserve to fall down with them." Sasuke said slyly. Naruto's grin returned, and Sasuke went home that night completely broke._

-------**End Flashback**.-------

* * *

I frowned, although Sasuke was looking away by now. The old Sasuke was full of snarky comebacks and insults, and was always eager to fight me. The old Sasuke and I pushed each other to become stronger. The old Sasuke and I were starting to become good friends. This Sasuke...this Sasuke didn't want anything to do with me. I was used to people like that. 

But not ones that used to like me.

"Will you just get up?" he muttered. I got up instantly, obviously startling him.

I pushed him out of my bedroom and slammed the door in his emotionless face, getting dressed quickly and scrubbing my face.

I came outside to find him still waiting there, but stalked past him. He didn't say anything, which proved my earlier point. This Sasuke was a shell, completely devoid of human emotion, with only one purpose in life – to become the strongest.

"You know what, Uchiha-_san_?" I hissed angrily as I passed him. "I preferred you when you were an irritable bastard, full of insults. When you pushed me to better myself, and when you let me do the same for you."

He stared at me now, finally paying attention to what I was saying.

Our eyes met, blue fury meeting a black void, and I spat the next sentence at him before wheeling around and running, as fast as I could, away from the loser that replaced Sasuke.

"I preferred you much better when I thought you were my friend."

* * *

(1) Literally Manipulating Windmill Triple Blades. 


	7. Subito

**Summary** - Sasuke has returned after a five year absence. Completely void of all emotions, he claims he only wants to become the strongest. Naruto and Sakura, along with the rest of the infamous 'Rookie Nine' need to draw out the old Sasuke and reassert their friendship before he turns into the one person he really hates. Main pairing is SasuNaru, along with many minor pairings for fluffy goodness.

**Rated For** - Swearing, violence, and future citrusy situations.

**Disclaimer** - Believe me, if I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be writing this.

* * *

**Chapter Seven - Subito**

* * *

-------**Sasuke**.-------

What the hell was all that about? It wasn't like I'd never seen Naruto worked up over something. In fact, this was a mild tantrum. He was probably grumpy from being woken up and embarrassed so easily.

I shrugged, watching him run off. A quick glance at my watch let me know I had twenty minutes to drag his sorry arse back to the training ground, so I followed.

I caught sight of his orange clothes, easily maneouvering around the roofs of the village. His words floated after me.

"_I preferred you much better when I thought you were my friend_."

What did he mean by that, anyway? He 'thought' we were friends? When had I ever given him the impression we were friends?

I have to admit, before I left, I **did** talk to Naruto and Sakura more than I have been recently. But that was because, even though I found them annoying, I didn't really know much about them. I didn't want to get on their nerves until I was certain they really were that irritating.

And the more time I spent with them, the more irritating they became.

Except I started to be alright with that, for a while.

* * *

-------**Flashback**.-------

_Sasuke slammed his hand into a wall._

'Dammit! It's not meant to be like this!'

_Chilling memories of his brother's taunting caused him to slump to the ground. He tilted his head back, closing his eyes, trying to ignore the growing pain in his hand. _

"I saw you playing with that brat again.Don't. Friends are worthless, they hold you back."

_Sasuke opened his eyes, the voice of his father now invading his thoughts._

"You should strive to become more like Itachi, Sasuke. Look at him. A genius of the clan!"

_Later, when they found out about Itachi's involvement with Shisui's death and the Akatsuki, his father had swung around so abruptly Sasuke still wondered whether he had been replaced somehow._

"I see now, that your differences...well...It is good, that you do not want to be like Itachi. Embrace your compassion, grow stronger because of it."

_But Fugaku had died at the hands of Itachi, and so Sasuke had believed his older brother's words to be true._

_And yet...Sasuke turned his head towards the window. Sunlight was filtering through in a revoltingly clichéd manner, and he sighed. He had intended to do just as Itachi had said – turn away potential friends, and focus on his strength. He needed to become stronger than Itachi in order to defeat him – surely taking the same path and bettering him that way would be efficient?_

'But Naruto and Sakura...'_ A voice in the back of his head said. _

_They were giving him doubts, now._

_Sakura was still annoying, since the attention she gave him was almost entirely superficial. But even she had started to be able to talk to him without stuttering or asking him out._

_And Naruto..._

_Naruto treated him like a rival, true, but lately it seemed like that was a good thing. Like they were rivals for all the right reasons._

'Friends...'

-------**End Flashback**.-------

* * *

On a number of occasions, Naruto had proved to be a fast developer, and when he finally started getting really serious about his training, asking to spar with me, exhausting himself practicing, I had found myself envious of his abilities, and proud of his progress as a result of our friendly matches.

Okay, so maybe we had started to become friends. A moment of weakness on my part, I'll admit, but that was over and done with now. I had no interest in his friendship, only what he had to offer as a rival. An enemy. That's what I had been taught as a child. A couple of months of hurried post-neglected attempts to rectify me in my father's eyes could not change that. Right?

Right. So Kakashi sending me to get him was turning into a really huge waste of my time. I snorted, watching him pause momentarily. I sped up, caught up to him quickly, and grabbed his wrist.

"What are you doing?" he asked me tiredly. He was slower than usual - though my speed had considerably increased since the Chuunin exams, he normally wouldn't have allowed himself to be captured this easily.

I didn't say anything, since I didn't feel the need to. I felt a stab of annoyance as he wriggled out of my grasp, and considered knocking him out. Before I could act on this, however, he stopped moving and stood still, watching me.

_What now?_

"Why are you following me?"

He received silence as a response. How was I supposed to explain that I needed him to come with me so we could continue training? Not that much training would happen, of course, but it was better than chasing him around the town.

He sighed, and turned. I made to grab him again and he snatched his arm away.

"Alright already! Let's go to the training grounds."

_Finally..._

I started walking again, and when I passed him he shot me a glare. "And when we get there, we're gonna fight."

I shrugged, practically ignoring his comment. In truth, I was rather anxious to see just how much he had developed since the last time I saw him.

"Ah, you're a little late, Sasuke." Kakashi said, his smile hidden by his mask. I muttered something in reply and turned away. I couldn't even bring myself to glare at him.

_Let them think I can't feel anything. All I feel around them is anger and annoyance anyway..._

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto began, "I want to fight Sasuke."

Kakashi's smile disappeared insantly, and Sakura held back a gasp as she looked between the two of us. Naruto removed his headband, the metal hitting the earth with a dull thud. His blond hair, still as messy and spiky as ever, fell forward a little, its restraints gone.

I was not wearing a headband, something no one had failed to notice. I had been denied the right to wear a Konoha symbol anywhere since I had left.

Kakashi opened his mouth – to interfere, I assumed – but to my surprise he closed it and nodded grimly. "Well, I can't say I didn't see this coming. Sakura, perhaps now is the time to practice your medic training."

"Kakashi-sensei, that's not funny!" she whispered, clearly horrified.

Naruto crouched, waiting for Kakashi's signal. I merely stood there, cold anticipation building up deep inside of me.

"Begin!"

* * *

-------**Normal Point of View**.-------

Sasuke vanished before the last syllable left Kakashi's lips. Naruto paused, still poised in his original position. Just before Sasuke's foot connected with his head, he disappeared as well. Sasuke changed direction in a split second, searching for him at same time.

Sasuke wheeled around and paused.

"Surprised?" Naruto asked, a playful, hopeful grin on his face. He was standing just to the side, next to Sakura.

"No." Was all the reply he got, and the grin faded. Sasuke studied him for a moment, before continuing. "But if all you can do is run around and throw clones at me, then you haven't changed at all."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, and Sasuke found himself unable to contain my frustration any longer. "Five years. I gave you five years to improve. Anyone else worth fighting would not have stopped for macho posturing and a goofy attempt at a hero's catchphrase. You," he said in a low voice, "are useless. As a Hokage, you would be pathetic."

"_Get angry, Naruto. Don't hold back on me now because you're afraid of hurting me. You _always _held back..."_

Sasuke took a step back as a powerful aura emerged from Naruto. His eyes blazed red, and Sasuke frowned slightly.

"You don't know **anything** about me. Not anymore. So don't you **dare** try to make assumptions about why I fight, or who I find **worth** fighting properly." The last part was obviously meant to annoy Sasuke, and in spite of it all he found myself glaring at the hot-headed blond.

"And you know nothing about where I've been, why I've been there, what I did...what I learnt. You..." Sasuke started walking towards him, then began to run, building up speed.He felt his fist connect with Naruto's face with a satisfying crack, and watched as he went flying into a tree. With a pop, a pile of rocks fell to the ground, reminiscent of the days of fighting long ago.

"Teme..." a voice whispered in Sasuke's ear, and the darker-haired boy's leg swung around on instinct. It connected, surprising Naruto, and in an instant Sasuke grabbed him, coming up from behind. Without hesitation Sasuke began to execute his Barrage of Lions attack, which Naruto had seen enough times to be able to get out of.

Dodging faster than Sasuke had expected, Naruto began making a series of hand signals Sasuke only vaguely recognised as a summoning spell, and he quickly mimicked his former friend's actions. (1)

Brief confusion flashed on Naruto's face, but, shrugging it off, he slammed his open palm into the ground and with a loud 'poof', a huge toad appeared, Naruto on its head.

"Hey, brat, I hope you didn't summon me just to squabble with your friend." He croaked (2) huffily.

"Aw, shut up, would ya?"

"Want me to eat you?"

"No, no, just...just fight! Geez, grumpy old toad!"

Sasuke coughed loudly, bringing Naruto's attention back to him, and he finished the jutsu required. A low, loud rumbling noise was heard, and without much more warning a snake's head shot out from underneath the Uchiha and spiraled upwards into the air before finally emerging and coiling its body up, ready to attack.

Sakura's hand flew up to her mouth in horror. "Th-that's..."

"Orochimaru's snake. Like the one that attacked me in the Forest of Death during the Chuunin trials. But why?" Naruto frowned. The large snake hissed menacingly, and Sasuke smirked from atop its head.

"Scared, you big chicken?" Sasuke taunted. He froze, realising what he'd just said, as did Naruto and Sakura.

"_Scared, you big chicken?" Sasuke asked Naruto, a grin on his face. Naruto's look plainly said 'I hate you and I never asked you to save me', and he responded rudely and turned away in a huff._

_Naruto's panting and battered body stood in front of a huge snake, with Orochimaru watching disdainfully in the background. "Scared, you big chicken?" Naruto grinned up at Sasuke tiredly, his eyes a forceful red._

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something else, but was startled by the small, genuine smile on Naruto's face.

"Heh. When you say things like that, you make it seem like you're actually him."

"_What...?"_

And then the smile was gone. As were the giant toad and Naruto.

* * *

(1) I haven't read the Shipp­­ūden series yet, so I don't actually know many of Sasuke's newer attacks. I vaguely recall something about snakes, although I think it had something to do with a sword, but I hope you'll forgive the lack of realism in terms of the manga.

(2) Couldn't resist the pun, sorry.


End file.
